Switching apparatus



y ,1 w. H. FRANK ET AL 2,158,657

SWITCHING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 14, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS y. 1939- w. H. FRANK ET AL 2,158,657

' SWITCHING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 14, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 jM/ ATTORNEY.

May 16, 1939. w. H. FRANK ET AL I SWITCHING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 14, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 ji ++14 W zn ,/l Q g g M I 2&1. v Q i 21 I!!! e e 1 Q} INVENTORS ATTORNEY.

May 16, 1939- w. H. FRANK ET AL 2,158,657

' SWITCHING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 14, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May 16, 1959 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SWITCHING APPARATUS William 1!. Frank. Lawrence E. Fisher. and Joseph A. Messing, Detroit, Mich.

Application September 14. ms, Serial No. 100,711

2 Claims. (01. 200-50) This application discloses a switch which in- Fig. 18 shows the mounting plates per se of cludes a box, switching elements therein, each Fig. 12. comprising stationary contacts and movable con- Figs. 14a. 14b. and 14c are sections on line tacts adapted to connect the stationary contacts. ll-ll of Figs. 12 and 13 and illustrate sequenoperating mechanism to move the movable contialiy the various steps in mounting the parts in 5 tacts to or from the stationary contacts. and an the box. actuating handle for the operating mechanism. Fig. 15 shows another arrangement for mount- The stationary contacts are sets oi pistons ing parts in the switch box.

mounted on a base secured to the box; in each Fig. 16 shows the mounting plates per se oi."

- set, one is connected to line and the other is 0011- Fig. l5. l0

nected to load. Figs. 17a and 17b are sections on line I'I-ll The movable contacts are mounted in and form of Figs. and 16 and illustrate sequentially the part oi cell-like housings or heads of insulation; various steps in mounting the parts in the box. these are moved to and from the stationary con- Fig. 18 shows an arrangement for holding the i tacts by operating bars actuated by handles, mounting bolts of the mounting plates, alterna- 15 which are on the sides of the boxes though they tive to that of Figs. 12-17.

might well be on the fronts of the boxes. Fig. 18a is a section on line ltd-Ila oi Fig. 18. The stationary contact bases are mounted on Fig. 19 is a cross section view of a movable head the backs of the boxes. oi the switch.

so The stationary contacts are connected to termm do 20 minals o! conductors entering the boxes'throimh g w ii throw switch walls of the boxes.

For 'an understanding of the design and conmi "Fitch 00111911868 8 8118 metal box n O struction of the switches hereoi'. reference should book wall are secured Insulation s s I1 5 be had to the appended drawings. In these drawp t g the sta na y p s ontacts l ver ings which show details 01' a double throw switch, which m tolemmd the movable contact heads Fig. 1 show th double throw switch m fr t ll, these having therein movable contacts I.

view. which bridge the stationary contacts toestablish Fig. 2 is a right side view oi m. 1. circuit! gg bl switch .3isawiringdlagramotthedouhlethrow Became i ethl'ow so swf tc h. two sets of stationary contacts and two heads for 4 is a side View f th mechanism 8e each conductor line A-B; one stationary conoifi d ubl th switch w h We ai tact of one set in a line is connected to the adjaf in n ut l mi md 13 5 section on um cent stationary contact of the other set of that as 4-4 of m 1, line through a connecting strap I! having binda Fig.5isasideview oftheperse-o! g g z" thereontowhlch m oonnectod the double throw switch with the handle thereof thrown to the ieit to throw the ieit hand heads my be reclpmted towards Ind u away from the back of the box by means of opera 22. ga fiff and the right hand M ating bars a. Fig. aor no. Fig. 9, connected to m m. 6 is a side View of the mmmm per se interlocking lugs 2l-2la thereof, in the manner illustrated in these figures, and these operating of the double throw switch with the handle thereoi thrown to the right to throw the right hand be mmpflated by the anism shown in Figs. 4 to I which is so construct- 4| :37:1 22 zfi g and the ma M ed that one head of each line may be moved to the stationary contacts associated therewith to con- 7 part5 the per -nect the group oi conductors C to the. group of is 1 section on me of conductors A and disconnect them from the group F133 8 and 9 Show two were!" "augments B, or vice versa, or to disconnect the group C from I o for connecting the operating bars of the switch to t groups A d 3, go

the movable heads 01' the switch. The operating mechanism may be actuated by Hasa d 11 a e side v ews o th h ads n r sov an exposed handle :I mounted on a side of the of Figs. 8 and 9. 4 box as illustrated. This handle 23 is riveted to a Fig. 12 shows one arrangement for mounting plate III iournalled on a fixed pin 282 and having gs parts in the switch box. slots a: receiving pins 234 fixed 0n the operating bars 20 which are connected to a fixed pin 235 by snap action compression springs 236. Rocking of the handle in either direction causes the plate 23| to rock on its pivot and the pin and slot engagements 233-234 cause the two sets heads l to move in opposite directions from their neutral position, Fig. 4, with a snap action provided by the springs 236.

It will be observed that the handle may be thrown into any one of /the three positions illus: trated in Fig. 2 to connect the conductors C to either conductor group A or B or to neither of these conductor groups, with a suitable snap action on make and break.

The stationary contacts l4 and their heads I5 may be mounted in the switch box It in accordance with the manner shown in Figs. 12-1811.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that Figs. 12-140. show the bases l2 secured to a mounting plate 24 removably fastened onto the back of the box by heads of screws 25, two of which pass through edge slots of the plate 24 and one of which passes through a keyhole slot ofthe plate. After the operating mechanism of the switch is disposed in the box, a subassembly consisting of a mounting plate 24, the bases i2, already secured thereto, the contacts l4, already secured to the bases, and the heads l5,

- positioned onthe contacts l4, may be mounted by slipping the edge slots of the mounting plate 24 under the heads of screws 25 and the keyhole slot over the head of a screw 25 and then adjusting the parts from the position of Fig. 13 to that of Fig. 12 and then tightening up the screws 25. The operative connection between the heads i5 and the operating bars a will be established by this action merely by the interlocking of the back lugs 2I-2la of the heads to the operating ,bars, as illustrated, before the screws are tightened up.

s. 15-18:: show a construction similar to t at of F s. 12-l4a but difiering in that pins or rivets 25 are used in place of some of the screws 25. To provide spring seats for these pins or rivets the mounting plate may be deformed as shown best in Fig. 170,01 spring washers 21 as shown in Fig. 180. maybe provided.

The mounting arrangements herein disclosed permit easy assembly of the switch parts in the box and also permit easy removal and replacement of these parts when desired. I

Now having described the switches hereof, reference will be had' to the claims which follow for a determination of the protection sought to be obtained by this application.

We claim:

1. In a switch, a box, an operating bail traversing the sides of the box and journalled therein, and parallel to the back thereof, and a unitary contact set comprising a base, a prong secured to the base and projecting forwardly from it, a housing of insulation having a cell provided with an open end in which is disposed the forward free end of the prong, the housing containing a prong engaging contact, and means on the housing for detachably interlocking it to the bail, the means and the bail being so constructed and arranged that they can be associated for interlocking the housing and the bail by movement of the housing towards the bail in a single direction parallel to the box back, and means for securing the base to the box back.

2. In a switch, a box, an operating bail traversing the sides of the box and journalled therein, and parallel to the back thereof, and a unitary contact set comprising a base, a prong secured to the base and projecting forwardly from it, a housing of insulation having a cell provided with an open end in which is disposed the forward free end of the prong, the housing containing 9. prong engaging contact, and means on the housing for detachably interlocking it to the bail, the box having means thereon for securing the base to the box back, the base having end' slots receiving the last mentioned means, all the parts being so constructed and related that the housing and base may be assembled relatively as a sub-assembly, and such sub-assembly may be assembled as a unit with respect to the bail and box back by movement of the sub-assembly, in

' one movement and in a direction parallel to the box back and towards the bail and base securing means.

LAWRENCE E. FISHER. JOSEPH A. MESSING. 

